Vise lock



C. O. LASSY May 13, 1958 vIsE Loox Filled Jan. 8, 1954 l Hlm Carl 0. vL assy i INVENTOR.`

n BY u( United States This invention relates generally to vises and pertains more particularly to an improved vise locking mech anism.

The primary object of this invention is to provide an improved locking mechanism for vises wherein a tooth member is engaged with serrations in a vise jaw-carryingV bar for effecting the locking of the vise, cam mechanism being associated with the tooth member for selectively moving the same out of engagement with the serrations, an important feature of the invention residing in the relationship existing between the cam member and associated mechanism whereby disengagement between the tooth member and serrated bar is effected without interference or undue friction occurring between the interengaging parts.

Another object of this invention is to provide a vise lock of the character described wherein the means for moving the tooth member out of engagement with the bar may be selectively rendered inoperative so that the movable vise jaw may be moved only a slight amount in a relatively iixed position whereby a number of work pieces of the same size may be held and released only under action of the cam mechanism in those circumstances in which such work pieces are to ne held successively in the vise structure.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure l is an end view of a vise constructed in accordance with this invention;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical section taken substantially along the plane of section line 2-2 in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse `section taken substantially along the plane of section line 3-3 in Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the vise lock mechanism with portions broken away to show details of construction.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, reference numeral indicates an elongated frame member upon one end of which, not shown, is mounted a iixed jaw member, also not shown. The opposite end of the frame is provided with an integral upstanding head 12 provided with a longitudinal bore 14 through which a vise jaw bar 16 is slidably projected. The end of the bar 16 which is broken away and not shown is provided with a movable jaw for cooperation with the previously mentioned fixed jaw to clampingly engage work therebetween, the mechanism thus far described being of conventional and well known construction.

rthe head is provided with a transverse recess 18 intersecting the bore 14 and extending inwardly from one side of the head toward the opposite side thereof but terminating at a point within the head. A block 20, of less thickness than the longitudinal extent of recess 18, `is pro- ICC vided with a bore 22 slidably receiving the bar 16 such as the block is disposed thereon within the recess. Due to the dimensions of the block and recess, there is sufficient clearance at the opposite sides of the former so that it may shift longitudinally of the vise frame within the recess.

The undersurface of the bar 16 is provided with serrations or teeth 24 and a shaft 26 journaled transversely of the block 20 is provided with an arrn 28 terminating in a toothed end portion engageable with the serrated portion of the bar 16 in the manner shown most clearly in Figure 2. To normally engage the arm 28 with the serrated portion of the bar, a compression spring 30 may be interposed between the head 12 and the arm 2S. The block 20 is so machined that sufficient clearance is provided as at 32 to permit the arm 28 to be swung into and out of engagement with the serrated bar and it will be also noted that the block is cut away as at 34 to permit assembly of the device.

A camshaft 36 is journaled transversely of the head 12, a transverse bore 38 being provided in the head for this purpose. An intermediate portion 46 of the camshaft is formed eccentrieally with respect to the journaling portion thereof, the high point of the cam being indicated 'by the reference character 42. Cireumferentially spaced on the eccentric portion of the camshaft and extending longitudinally thereon is a radially projecting rib 44. The portion of the eccentric lying between the points 42 and 44 and as indicated by the reference character 46 being the low point of the cam surface. This cam surface abuts and engages against the rear face on the block 20 so that the block will be urged to the left in Figure 2 in either the position of the handle 48 as shown or in a position displaced therefrom.

The end of the camshaft which projects beyond the head 12 is provided with a collar member 50 and a setscrew S2 projecting through the collar and into a hole 54 in the camshaft rigidly atfixes these members together when the setscrew is in position. The collar is provided with an abutment 'shoulder 56. A link 58 pivotally connected at one end to the nger 60 rigid with the outer end of the shaft 26 has its other end disposed in the path of movement of the abutment shoulder 56 as will be seen most clearly in Figure 4. To properly position the link 58, a tension spring 62 may be provided.

In operation, the hand portion 64 of the movable jaw carrying bar 16 is grasped and work placed between the movable and lixed jaws is grasped therebetween by urging the movable jaw thereagainst at which time the arm 28 urged into engagement with the serrated portion of the bar 16 by pressure ofthe spring 3G will maintain the movable jaw in fixed position. The handle 48 which was during this operation in a substantially vertical position is swung to the position shown in Figure 2 and the high point 42 of the cam urges the block 20 to the left in Figure 2 and consequently urges the movable jaw of the vise toward the xed jaw thereof to clampingly engage the work piece. When it is desired to release the work piece, the handle 48 is swung towards vertical position whereupon the pressure on the block 20 is relaxed. Simultaneously with' the engagement of the low point 46 against the rear face of the block 26, the abutment shoulder 56 engages against the free end of the link 58 to rotate the shaft 26 in a direction to disengage the arm 28 from the serrations on the bar 16. In this manner, it will be appreciated that when the arrn 28 is swung away from the bar 16, no undue friction or interference will exist between the toothed portion of the'arrn and serrations of the bar which would otherwise tend to rapidly wear out these parts and render the device inoperative. The rib 44 acts as a stop or locating device for limiting the pivotal movement of the handle 48 so that the handle n Y will be retained in condition for grasping and actuation thereof.

In some instances, such as extended production work, it may be desirable to initially set up the fixed and movable jaw members so as to receive therebetween a series of work pieces of the saine diameter. ln this instance,

the setscrew 52 is removed so that the arm 23 is neverdisengaged from the serrated bar 16 and the gripping action of the jaws is accomplished solely by the high point 42 of the cam with no actual release of the lock mechanism.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will be readily understood and further explanation is believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, lit is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction-shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modications and equivaients may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

A bar lock mechanism comprising an elongated frame having an upstanding head portion at one end, said head portion being provided with a longitudinal bore, a bar slidably received through said bore, said bar being serrated, said head portion having a transverse recess intersecting said bore, a block received on said bar within said recess, a shaft journaled in said block having an end portion projecting outwardly of the head through said recess, an arm lixed to said shaft terminating in a toothed end portion engaged with the serrated portion of said bar, a earn element journaled transversely of said head,

means for oscillating said cam element between first and second positions, said cam element having a surface engaging said block for urging the same in one direction in one of said positions, and means operative between said positions for pivoting said arm out of engagement with the serrated bar, said means for operating said arm comprising a link pivotally connected at one end to said shaft, a collar secured to said cam element, a projection on said collar, the other end of said link being disposed in the path of movement of said projection as the cam element is rotated from said one position, and a set screw selectively securing said collar to said cam element.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 42,236 Stephans Apr. 5, 1864 394,793 Stoecklin Dec. 18, 1888 1,296,723 Winans Mar. 11, 1919 2,269,963 Wappler Ian. 13,v 1942 2,361,971 Shipman Nov. 7, 1944 2,362,067 Heinrich Nov. 7, 1944 2,424,313 Heinrich July 22, 1947 2,467,272 Prenville Apr. 12, 1949 2,563,467 Hartmann Aug. 7, 1951 2,565,965 Hartmann Aug. 28, 1951 

